White enameled porcelain teapot with original lid/cover is decorated with the popular theme of the Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea, a common theme used wisely to decorate items given for happy occasions such as birthdays. From early times the Chinese, especially the Daoists, longed for eternal life in carefree and lush settings. They had many stories/legends about people who had achieved immortality, and portraits of individual immortals were popular good luck talismans until the Yuan Dynasty (1276-1368), as seen on this teapot; grey with white ground, also included figures of birds and animals. On the lid are four precious items or charms including a gourd, rhinoceros horn and fungus of immortality.